At Sunday night’s BAFTA Awards, John Davidson—the real-life inspiration for the celebrated British film I Swear—shouted the N-word at Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo while the Sinners stars were presenting the award for best visual effects. The outburst followed an opening monologue from host Alan Cumming during which Davidson, who has Tourette’s syndrome, was involuntarily ticking. The audience had been informed of Davidson’s condition before the show began—but it was only after he said the racial slur that Cumming openly addressed the issue.

Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson shouted the N-word while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage at the BAFTAs

I'm sorry, this is WILDLY unacceptable on so many levels – mostly so from @BAFTA
We can all understand he has a condition, but this is subjecting Jordan… pic.twitter.com/jOjm1WsoDZ

— Narinder Kaur (@narindertweets) February 23, 2026

“You may have noticed some strong language in the background. This can be part of how Tourette’s syndrome shows up for some people as the film explores that experience,” Cumming explained from the stage. “Thanks for your understanding and for helping create a respectful space for everyone.” After the incident, Davidson appeared to remove himself from the theater, according to Variety.

At the Warner Bros. after-party following the ceremony, Lindo told Vanity Fair that he and Jordan “did what we had to do” while presenting—but that he also wished “someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterward.”

Though the BAFTAs aired on a tape delay, the slur was nevertheless included in the broadcast—though the BBC did not air outstanding-British-debut-winner Akinola Davies Jr. saying “free Palestine” at the end of his speech, according to Deadline. (The BBC told Deadline that “all edits were made to ensure the program was delivered to time.”) Sinners production designer Hannah Beachler wrote on X that while the Davidson situation “is almost impossible…it happened 3 times that night, and one of the three times was directed at myself on the way to dinner after the show.”

A BBC spokesperson told The Times, “Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the BAFTA Film Awards. This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette’s syndrome, and as explained during the ceremony it was not intentional. We apologize that this was not edited out prior to broadcast and it will now be removed.”